Patents Examined by Krystyna Suchecki
  • Patent number: 7040807
    Abstract: An apparatus for radiographic image acquisition has a radiation source with an associated laser device for representation of a linear light marking on the examination subject to align the subject relative to the radiation source for a subsequent image acquisition. The laser of the laser device is operated pulsed with a pulse-pause ratio of 1:n, with n>1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Scheuering
  • Patent number: 7035377
    Abstract: To solve a difference in an emitting directions by switching the types of X-rays. An X-ray generator comprises: an anticathode unit 3 in which a plurality of anticathode parts 2 (2A and 2B) that emit X-rays by collision of thermoelectrons are disposed side by side; a cathode 4 for releasing the thermoelectrons toward the anticathode parts 2A and 2B on the anticathode unit 3; and a cathode moving mechanism that switches the anticathode parts, against which the thermoelectrons from the cathode 4 collide by moving the cathode 4 along the diction of aligning anticathode parts 2A and 2B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Bruker AXS K.K.
    Inventor: Chuji Katayama
  • Patent number: 7035373
    Abstract: An -ray emitted from an incident optical system is incident on a sample supported by a sample support mechanism, and a diffracted X-ray is detected by a receiving optical system. The incident optical system includes an X-ray source and a multilayer-film mirror. An attitude controlling unit of the sample support mechanism switches a condition of the sample support mechanism from a state maintaining the sample to have a first attitude in which a normal line of the surface of the sample is parallel with a first axis of rotation to another state maintaining the sample to have a second attitude in which the normal line of the surface of the sample is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. When the receiving optical system is rotated around the first axis of rotation while maintaining the sample in the first attitude, in-plane diffraction measurement is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Rigaku Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Omote
  • Patent number: 7023960
    Abstract: To adjust the emission rate of radiation from an X-ray tube, the value of the current of the X-ray tube is modeled empirically by a second-order polynomial function depending on the heating current and a first-order polynomial function depending on the high voltage. A transfer function gives precision closer than 3% for the adjusting of an expected tube current. This function can also be used to take account of disparities of manufacture and of the aging of the tubes in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Patrick Chretien
  • Patent number: 7021842
    Abstract: In an optical fiber array, an optical fiber, a bundle of optical fibers or an optical fiber ribbon is mounted on an array substrate with a V-groove or V-grooves. A bare fiber portion in which a fiber coating is removed is placed in the V-groove, pressed by a presser member 6 and bonded by adhesives. At the front end, the fiber(s) is/are accurately positioned to connect to optical components or PLCs. The bare fiber portion contains a spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers having different mode field diameters and a mode field converting portion. The spliced portion of the dissimilar optical fibers is mounted on the array substrate. A flexible protection member is provided in the fiber coating portion extending over a rear edge of the array substrate. The optical fiber is bonded onto the array substrate, employing three kinds of adhesives that are different in the Young's modulus after hardening and the viscosity before hardening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Yamada, Kazuhito Saito, Mitsuaki Tamura
  • Patent number: 7020237
    Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining tomosynthesis data of an object comprises a source emitting radiation centered around an axis of symmetry; a radiation detector comprising a stack of line detectors, each being directed towards the source at a respective angle; and a device for moving the source and the radiation detector relative the object linearly in a direction orthogonal to the symmetry axis, while each of the line detectors is adapted to record line images of radiation as transmitted through the object in the respective angle. A device is provided for rotating the radiation detector around a rotation axis orthogonal to the symmetry axis, and the device for moving is further arranged to repeat the essential linear movement of the source and the radiation detector relative the object, while each of the line detectors is adapted to record a further plurality of line images of radiation as transmitted through the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Xcounter AB
    Inventors: Tom Francke, Skiff Sokolov
  • Patent number: 7016460
    Abstract: The detection of a compression pad in a mammography apparatus is automated. A rear face of the pad is provided with identifying and positioning readable by the sensors of a mobile carriage of the mammography apparatus. The reading is converted into a binary word that enables the mammography apparatus to obtain the operating parameters and to automatically associate reading keys with an image. A reading key is, for example, the name of the examination/image associated with the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Saladin, Emmanuel Roger, Yann Delmas
  • Patent number: 7016470
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for generating X-rays via the process of inverse Compton scattering. The system includes a high repetition rate laser adapted to direct high-energy optical pulses in a first direction in a laser cavity and a source of pulsed electron beam adapted to direct electron beam in a second direction opposite to the first direction in the laser cavity. The electron beam interacts with photons in the optical pulses in the laser cavity to produce X-rays in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Lee Lawrence, Robert John Filkins, Peter William Lorraine
  • Patent number: 7013070
    Abstract: An optical switching method and apparatus. In one aspect of the present invention, the disclosed apparatus includes first and optical waveguides disposed in a semiconductor substrate layer. An insulating layer disposed between the first and second waveguides in a coupling region in the semiconductor substrate layer to isolate the first optical waveguide from the second optical waveguide. Modulated charge layers proximate to the insulating layer in the coupling region are employed to control an optical coupling strength between the first and second optical waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Remus Nicolaescu
  • Patent number: 7012988
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling an X-ray apparatus containing an X-ray emitter. Control means for the X-ray apparatus are provided with exposure time correction data for given mains voltages and the current mains voltage is measured before and/or during exposure and the exposure time is corrected in accordance with the correction data, and to an X-ray apparatus for carrying out said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Adler, Michael Dalpiaz
  • Patent number: 7010087
    Abstract: The density of a mass of material is determined by passing radiation from a source, such as Co-60, whose radiation spectrum has a characteristic energy level above 700 keV through the mass of material to a detector that can detect radiation at a energy level, or range of energy levels, within the range 80 to 700 keV. By determining the density of the mass of material at different locations, the density profile of the mass of material can be assessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey PLC
    Inventor: Lee M Robins
  • Patent number: 7004641
    Abstract: A support stand intended to support a terminus of fiber optic cable includes: a base member, a ferrule-receiving member, and a connector that connects the ferrule-receiving member to the base member. Kits including a light source, a lighting grade fiber optic cable harness, and one or more support stands of the present invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Allyn E. Hetzke, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6999549
    Abstract: A method for obtaining data includes quantifying tissue fat content using a multi-energy computed tomography (MECT) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology, LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Sabol, Matthew Joseph Walker, Gopal B. Avinash, Kadri Nizar Jabri
  • Patent number: 6999664
    Abstract: A polarization beam splitter and combiner and a polarization insensitive modulating and switching method and apparatus. In one aspect of the present invention, the disclosed apparatus a first optical waveguide disposed in a semiconductor material layer. A second optical waveguide is also disposed in the semiconductor material layer. An insulating region is disposed between the first and second optical waveguides to provide a coupling region in the semiconductor material layer between the first and second optical waveguides. The coupling region has a first coupling length for a first polarization mode of an optical beam directed through one of the first and second optical waveguides into the coupling region. The coupling region has a second coupling length for a second polarization mode of the optical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Remus Nicolaescu, Mario J. Paniccia
  • Patent number: 6991371
    Abstract: A computed tomography (CT) image quality phantom for use in calibrating explosive detection systems (EDS) at airports. A foam core block containing up to five right cylinder rod members is positioned in a housing member which is adapted to be passed through an airport luggage scanning machine. The rod members are of different lengths in order to create different data slices for analysis. The housing has a lead-in member at least at one end in order to allow passage through an EDS more easily and provide accurate CT calibrating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James M. Nelson, Richard H. Bossi
  • Patent number: 6987827
    Abstract: An X-ray computed tomographic apparatus of the invention includes a display portion to display, on a screen, a scanogram related to a subject together with a quadrilateral frame line specifying a reconstruction range, an input portion to input a command to transform the frame line specifying the reconstruction range to a parallelogram or rotate the frame line specifying the reconstruction range, a gantry to perform scanning in a scan range corresponding to the reconstruction range, and a reconstruction portion to reconstruct image data related to plural slices, parallel to one another and included in the reconstruction range, slice-by-slice on the basis of projection data acquired by the scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke Tsukagoshi
  • Patent number: 6974253
    Abstract: In an arrangement for connecting a dental X-ray imaging sensor to a holder; the sensor (9) is a flat piece (11) having a planar radiation sensitive area, and at least one communication line (12) connected to said radiation sensitive area for data transfer; and the holder (8) is an elongated body having a first end provided with means for detachable connection of said sensor. The sensor has a peg (3) projecting from said flat piece. The peg is provided with a widened outer end and a neck between said outer end and said flat piece. Further, the neck has a configuration with a plurality of alternate larger diameters and smaller diameters. The holder has at its first end a fork (4) with a gap, which is adapted to fit onto said neck at least in two different positions. The interaction between the fork and the larger and smaller diameters of the neck prohibits unintended pivot of said sensor in respect to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Instrumentarium Corp.
    Inventor: Pekka Ihalainen
  • Patent number: 6973253
    Abstract: A first waveguide holding member has a first transverse surface region and a first optical waveguide having an end terminating at the first transverse surface region. A second waveguide holding member has a second transverse surface region which confronts the first transverse surface region of the first waveguide holding member and a second optical waveguide having an end terminating at the second transverse surface region. A guide member is operatively coupled to the first and second waveguide holding members and guides the first waveguide holding member in a transverse direction relative to the second waveguide holding member so as to selectively optically couple and decouple the ends of the first and second optical waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Dan A. Steinberg, David W. Sherrer, Mindaugas F. Dautartas, Donald E. Leber
  • Patent number: 6973232
    Abstract: Through the introduction of an imaging multimode interference device in an integrated optical circuit, such performance degradations as lateral waveguide field oscillations and backreflections may be suppressed. The suppression of lateral waveguide field oscillations (that may occur due to misaligned optical coupling), in particular, can significantly reduce variations in the power splitting ratio of an optical power splitting structure, such as those employed by a Mach-Zehnder modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Bookham Technology, plc
    Inventors: Ian B. Betty, Maxime Poirier
  • Patent number: 6968043
    Abstract: There is disclosed an X-ray analyzer capable of precisely measuring a trace amount of cadmium contained in plastic. The analyzer has an X-ray filter assembly between an X-ray tube having an Rh target and a plastic sample. The filter assembly consists of first, second, and third X-ray filters which are made of zirconium, copper, and molybdenum, respectively. The first through third X-ray filters have thicknesses of about 100 ?m, 200 ?m, and 40 ?m, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignees: JEOL Ltd., JEOL Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Amemiya, Masato Ozeki